Three years in Tibet : with the original Japanese illustrations / by the Shramana Ekai Kawaguchi.

  • Ekai Kawaguchi
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Three years in Tibet : with the original Japanese illustrations / by the Shramana Ekai Kawaguchi. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    our ship headed direct for llougkoug. At Hongkong, Mr. Tlionipson, an Englishman, hoarded our ship, and liis advent proved to he a welcome change in the monotony of the voyage. He said he had lived eighteen yeai’s in Japan, and he spoke Japanese exceedingly well. I found in him an earnest and enthusiastic Christian; and, as may he imagined, he and I came to spend much of our time in religious controversies, which, as they were carried on, it may he needless to add, in a most friendly way, hecame a source of much pleasiire and information, not oidy to ourselves, hut also to all on hoard. Another interesting experience which I went through dui’ing the voyage was when T preached—and I preached quite a numher of times—before the officers and men of the ship, who proved the most willing and interested audience I had ever come across. On the r2th of July, the Idznmi entered the port of Singapore, and I put up at the Fusokwan Hotel there. On the 15th, I called at the Japanese Consulate in the port, and .saw Mr. Fujita Toshiro, our then Consul there. Mr. Fujita had heard of me from the Idzurni’s captain, and he said to me : I hear you are going to Tibet. I do not know hoAv you haA’e got your A^enture mapped out, but I knoAV it is a Amry difficult thing to reach and enter that country. Even Col. Fukushima (noAV Lieutenant-General, of trans-Siberian fame) made a halt at Darjeeling, and had to retrace his steps thence, acknoAAdedging practically the impossihility of a Tibetan ex])loration, and I cannot see hoAv you can fare better. But if you must, I think there are only tAVO Avays of accomplishing your ])nrpose: namely, to force yoiar Avay by the sheer force of arms at the head of an expedition, for one; and to go as a beggar, for the other. May I ask you about your programme?” I ansAvered Mr. Fujita to the effect that being a Buddhist priest, as I Avas, the first